An Act Regarding The Bind-Over And Detention Of Juveniles

LD 42 amends Maine law regarding the detention of juveniles transferred to adult court for prosecution. It allows the Department of Corrections to request that a juvenile remain in a juvenile detention facility instead of an adult jail while awaiting adult court proceedings, including during appeals of the transfer decision. The court may grant this request only for the pre-trial period (before adult proceedings begin) but not after a conviction. The department can later request to move the juvenile to an adult jail, and the court must approve that change. Juveniles turning 21 or older cannot be held in juvenile facilities under this provision.